ROD AND REEL. 131 



noosed on to a leader. A trout that takes that 

 will be worth baking. Lengthen your line to the 

 last foot you can cast, and when a big one rises 

 I 'U put you within reach of his wake." 



We sat for several minutes in silence, watching. 

 At last, some fifteen rods away, a magnificent fish 

 shot up out of the water after a butterfly which 

 chanced to be winging its way across the lake, and 

 missing it by only a few inches, fell back with a 

 splash into the very ripple he made in rising. 



" Now ! " shouted John, as he sent the light boat 

 skimming over the water, " give him the feathers, 

 and if he takes, sink the hook to the very shank 

 into his jaws." 



I pitched the coil into the air, and by the time 

 it had fairly straightened itseK out the boat was in 

 reach of the wake ; and, obedient to the quick turn 

 of the wrist, the huge fly leaped ahead. It had 

 not reached the surface by a yard, when the water 

 parted and out came the trout, his mouth wide 

 open, quivering from head to tail with the energy 

 of the leap ; missed, as he had before, and fell back 

 flat upon his side. 



" Quick, quick ! cast away ! " shouted John, as 

 with a stroke of the paddle he sent the boat 

 sheering off to give me room for the cast. 



Feeling that there was not an instant to lose, by 

 a sudden jerk I caused the fly to mount straight 

 up into the air, trusting to the motion of the boat 



